The invention relates to a rear seat for a vehicle such as an automobile and more particularly, to. a rear seat pivoting and locking mechanism.
A rear seat of the known type (U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,742) typically serves in vehicle seats, such as automobiles, with at least three rows of seats, particularly in vans, first to simplify access to the third seat row, and second, to allow a largely flat enlargement of the cargo space. The seat body is therefore capable of being folded forward and locked in a vertical storage position or capable of being lowered while the seat back is folded forward. Folding the seat back forward, or lowering or swinging the seat body forward, is controlled by two parallel-mounted connecting levers from which one of the forward linkages connects with a locking device to the seat back, and a second one connects a swivel fixed pivot bracket for the front linkage with the rear linkage. The seat body is not secured against unintentional folding back or raising either in the storage or in the lowered position.
Based on this state of the art, it is the task of the present invention to prevent unintentional movement of a rear seat of the known type when in the storage and/or lowered position.
Further, no specialized actuation means should be required to lock the seat body in the storage position or in the lowered position. Locking and release of the seat body while in these final positions is largely performed using the same actuation elements. The locking elements need only be slightly modified for their extra task, so that only small expense and room are required for the solution.
The present invention features a locking and pivoting mechanism for a vehicle rear seat having a seat back mounted on a seat body and capable of being folded forward. The seat body may be mounted so that it may be folded forward from an approximately horizontal use position into an approximately vertical, final storage position, as well as into a final lowered position approximately parallel to the use position. In these two final positions, the seat back is folded forward, resting on the seat body.
In one embodiment, one end each of a front and a rear link is attached to the chassis, and the other end is each attached to the seat body. The upper end of the front link is attached to the seat body so that it may be displaced longitudinally, and may be affixed to the seat body by means of a first locking pawl. The lower end of the rear link may be connected with the chassis so that it may be released, and so that it may be affixed in the use position by means of a second locking pawl. The front end of a first connecting lever is connected to the chassis, and its rear end is connected to the rear link.
The rear seat includes a second connecting lever. At least one of the two locking pawls is configured to lock the seat body in one of the final, released storage position or final lowered position and/or additionally to release the seat body from the final, locked storage or lowered position.
The invention includes, in one embodiment, a rear seat apparatus for an automobile having a seat back mounted on a seat body, said rear seat apparatus having a first position wherein said rear, seat is approximately horizontal, a second position wherein said rear seat is adapted to be in an approximately vertical storage position, and at least a third position wherein said rear seat is adapted to be stored in a final, locked lowered position.
A forward link is provided having an upper end connected with an automobile chassis and a lower end connected to said seat body such that said forward link may be displaced longitudinally. Also provided is a rear link having a lower end releasably disposed to said chassis and an upper end connected to said seat body.
A first locking pawl is also provided. Said first locking pawl connecting said forward link to said seat body when in said second position. Also included is a second locking pawl, said second locking pawl releasably connecting said lower end of said rear link to said automobile chassis when in said second position. A first connecting lever having a front end and a rear end connected to said rear link and a second connecting lever respectively, is provided, wherein at least one of said locking pawls is used to lock said rear seat apparatus in said second position, said third position, or to release said rear seat apparatus from the final, locked storage or lowered position.
One advantage to the embodiment disclosed is that two locking latches also prevent the locking latches not required to attain the final position from being released in this position.